Regents appoint advisory committee to assist with presidential search

By Rick FitzgeraldPublic Affairs

The Board of Regents has appointed an advisory committee to assist with the search for the next president of the university. Regent Laurence B. Deitch, speaking on behalf of all of his colleagues, made the announcement at the start of the July 18 meeting on the Ann Arbor campus.

“We are pleased to make this announcement of the faculty members who will take an active role in the search process for the successor to Mary Sue Coleman as president of the University of Michigan,” Deitch said. Coleman will retire July 31, 2014.

The Presidential Search Advisory Committee will work in conjunction with the Board of Regents and the search firm of Russell Reynolds Associates, one of the world’s leading executive recruiting firms.

Appointed to the committee are these seven faculty members:

• Alec Gallimore, professor of aerospace engineering and associate dean for research and graduate education, College of Engineering.

• Dr. Timothy R.B. Johnson, professor of the diseases of women and children, and chair of obstetrics and gynecology, Medical School; professor of women’s studies, LSA; research professor, Center for Human Growth and Development.

Deitch said the Presidential Search Advisory Committee will conduct a broad, vigorous search to develop and recommend a pool of candidates to be considered by the Board of Regents sitting as the Presidential Search Committee. The Board of Regents may select the university’s 14th president from the pool, but retains the right to select a candidate outside the pool.

“As part of the search process, the advisory committee will reach out to the campus community to solicit feedback on issues facing the university and qualities to seek in a new president,” Deitch explained.

He said the committee would schedule a series of public meetings in September and October to discuss those matters. Specific dates and locations will be announced soon. Additionally, information about the search and periodic updates will be posted on the Board of Regents website at this address: regents.umich.edu/presidential-search.

The committee will accept nominations from members of the university community. Nominations can be sent to this email address: UMich.President@russellreynolds.com.